The present invention relates to an electrical connector that couples an electrically conductive cable to an electrically conductive stud, such as a bus bar, power supply, or a circuit board. The conductor has two separate members that freely rotate relative to each other when connecting to the stud. However, upon completing the connection to the stud, the two separate members are locked together and cannot rotate relative to each other.
Connecting devices, such as nuts are commonly coupled to the ends of electrical cables and can freely rotate about a central axis. This type of connection allows an electrical cable to be connected to an electrical device without rotating the entire cable or the device to which the cable is connected.
Present day cable end connectors have axially rotating nuts connected to a tubular body. The tubular body is then crimped or soldered to an electrical cable. The nut is connected to the tubular body using two flanges, the first flange on the nut interconnecting with the second flange on the tubular body. This connection allows the nut to freely rotate relative to the tubular body and thus the cable. The nut has internal threads that engage external threads on the electrical device and can be tightened until the nut no longer rotates. However, it is possible to achieve the same connection and results by not locking the nut. This type of cable connector grounds the cable and results in high contact resistance and a relatively high voltage drop.
When connecting an electrical cable to an electrical device for power connection in a single voltage, single current configuration, it is desirable to have a low voltage drop, thus creating an efficient connector. A low voltage drop is possible by providing a connector with a relatively high electrically conductive mating surface area in the connection.
In addition, some cable connectors have multiple unattached parts. These parts are only interconnected when the connector is assembled and in use, attaching an electrical cable to an electrical device. Having multiple unattached parts may result in a connector that is difficult to assemble and the possibility of losing one part of the connector when in an unassembled configuration.
Examples of prior art electrical cable connectors are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No.: 1,039,542 to Kennington; U.S. Pat. No. 1,146,881 to Jeffries; U.S. Pat. No. 1,871,839 to Carter; U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,009 to Dutton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,764 to Barr; U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,399 to Teagno; U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,106 to Szegda; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,919 to Brisson et al.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical end connector having a rotatable member that has few interconnected parts, resulting in a mated connector, and is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical end connector having a rotatable member that results in a low contact resistance and a low voltage drop across the connector, thereby making the connector highly efficient.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical end connector having a rotatable member that frictionally locks the rotatable member with a member attached to a cable, resulting in a linearly rigid connector.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a cable end connector having a first member and a second member, the first member having an end engaged with an end of a cable and a rod having a projection connected to and adjacent to a second end, the second member having a first end with pair of opposed arms defining a slot therebetween, the rod of the first member being received within the slot and the arms being swaged around the rod, holding the second member onto the projection, while allowing the second member to freely rotate about the rod.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing an electrical cable end connector having a first member, a second member, and a threaded member, the first member being electrically coupled to the electrical cable and having a rod, a projection, and a distal end, the second member having a threaded passageway, and an arm swaged around the rod of the first member and engagable with the projection in the first member, the threaded member being electrically coupled to the conductive member, and threadedly received in the threaded passageway, the threaded member tightly engaging the distal end of the first member, thereby causing the arm to tightly engage the projection in the first member, preventing relative rotation of the first member and the second member.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.